Eriocapitella is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, order Ranunculales. The genus comprises plants native to Asia that are widely cultivated in temperate gardens under the common name fall-blooming anemones or Japanese anemones.
Plants of the genus typically produce white or pink blossoms with a characteristic globe-shaped seed head. Newly opened flowers mingle with developing seed heads for several weeks, extending the ornamental display from late July through October. The plants prefer light to partial shade but tolerate full sun given adequate moisture; overly wet conditions should be avoided.
The genus was named by Japanese botanist Takenoshin Nakai in 1941 and was later proposed as a section of the related genus Anemone before being recognized as a distinct genus. The name Eriocapitella combines the Greek prefix erio- ("woolly") with the Latin capitellatus ("growing in a small head"), alluding to the hairy ovary and fruit characteristic of several members.
Key species include Eriocapitella hupehensis, introduced to European horticulture from China by plant explorer Robert Fortune in 1843 and commonly called the Chinese anemone; Eriocapitella japonica (Japanese anemone), derived from a cultivated form of E. hupehensis; and the widely grown hybrid group Eriocapitella × hybrida, produced by crossing E. japonica with the white-flowered E. vitifolia. Numerous cultivars of these hybrid anemones have received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Etymology
The name Eriocapitella combines the Greek prefix erio- (from ἔριον, meaning "woolly") with the Latin capitellatus ("growing in a small head"). Together the name translates to "growing in a small woolly head", referring to the hairy ovary and fruit found in several members of the genus.
Distribution
Eriocapitella is native to a broad arc of Asia, from the Western Himalaya (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India) through the Eastern Himalaya (Nepal, Tibet, northeast India), across East and Southeast Asia (China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar), and into South Asia (Sri Lanka). The genus ranges as far south as Sumatra. Several species and hybrid cultivars have been introduced to Europe (Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia), East Asia (Japan, Korea), and South America (Ecuador).
Taxonomy
Eriocapitella was originally described by the Japanese botanist Takenoshin Nakai in 1941. The genus was subsequently proposed as a section within the related genus Anemone in 1991, before being reinstated as a distinct genus. It belongs to the family Ranunculaceae (order Ranunculales) and is closely allied to Anemone, from which it was segregated based on morphological characters including the hairy ovary and fruit.
Cultivation
Plants of Eriocapitella have been cultivated since at least the 17th century, possibly as early as China's Tang dynasty (618–907 CE). A semi-double pink-flowered form of E. hupehensis spread from cultivation across China to Japan and Korea; it was brought to England by Robert Fortune in 1843 and became the basis for the Japanese anemone (E. japonica). European horticulturists subsequently crossed E. japonica with the wide-ranging white-flowered E. vitifolia, producing the hybrid group E. × hybrida, now available in a wide range of single, semi-double, and double forms with white, pink, or purple flowers.
Fall-blooming anemones thrive in light to partial shade and tolerate full sun if moisture is sufficient. Overly wet conditions should be avoided. Mulching in autumn is recommended in colder climates. Pests include Japanese beetles, black blister beetles, and foliar nematodes. Bloom periods of 50 days or more are typical in well-chosen cultivars.
